Cognitive-behavioral therapy for late-life generalized anxiety disorder: Who gets better?

Abstract

The authors pooled data from three independently conducted treatment outcome studies to examine predictors of outcome from group-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for older adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Data were collected from 65 patients with a mean age of 67.7 years (SD = 6.6). Average reliable change indices (RCI) based on 3 outcome measures were calculated at posttreatment and at 6-month follow-up. Approximately half of patients achieved a significant RCI at posttreatment and two-thirds achieved a significant RCI at follow-up. Factors associated with better outcomes included better homework adherence, higher baseline GAD severity, and presence of a comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. Results suggest that at-home practice is associated with better and longer-lasting outcomes from CBT in older adults with GAD. © 2005 the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy. All rights reserved.

Publication Title

Behavior Therapy

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